Puppy!
by Cougarmadcat
Summary: Why does a hobbit bounce and yell Puppy! when she sees a dire wolf? This is why.


Her footsteps sounded too loud in the stadium as she walked towards the mountain called Lorne. Little puffs of dust stirred from her feet. The huge man stomped towards her with malicious anger and intent. She snarled, a wolf-like sound of malicious intent. He growled back, a grizzly bear sound that rumbled.

Lorne stopped in front of her and glared down, "You ready for death, hobbit?" The sneer on his face was colder than cold. He looked offended to even have to fight her. He definitely seemed to believe it was a waste of his time.

"Nice scar you have on your hand. Is that a bite?" Avera glared up at him, a serene smile touching her lips.

The man looked at the scar then back at her. His eyes narrowed in memory, "Now I remember you."

"It infected badly if I remember right. By the way, your mother sends her love." Her eyes glowed with hatred.

He howled at her, "Don't you speak of my mother! You are going down like a bug!"

"I'm sure she will be so proud of her son when I tell her what you have become." She shrugged, "Or maybe that will just remind her of what you already were before you left home."

Lorne swung out at her and was pulled back by an attendee.

She bounced back towards her side of the ring, watching Lorne with great care. Before she could even get to her spot, the mountain of a man charged her. The official sign that the fight would begin had not been given. That did not matter in the state he was in as no one could stop him now. It was a good thing her father always taught her to always anticipate an attack.

Avera ducked and rolled under the tree-like legs surprising him, but the confusion did not last long. He swung around with his wicked sword and shaved off a few of her red locks as she ducked. For a man that large he was pretty darn quick, but she remembered how fast he was and took precautions this time.

nnn

Daeghun was again away on the trap line. He had to make a living and did not like leaving his daughter alone. But since she was so young, he had found a nanny who's parents promised that either the father or one of the large sons would stay at the house at night and check on them often during the day. They also promised to make sure that Avera was brought around other children to play. They lied.

Her new "nanny" sat in a chair knitting something while the little hobbit romped about on the floor. Talash ignored her charge as she knitted and even pushed her away with her boot a few times.

"What is that for?" The six year old asked.

"It's for my boyfriend. Nothing for you." She snapped, "Go play!"

Avera huffed and tottered off to the front door. She looked back at the human teenager and pouted. As she sat there, the door opened to reveal the girl's boyfriend. He completely ignored the child and went over to Talash. Then the nanny definitely ignored her.

The door was still open so Avera crawled out. She stood up and walked about the farm. This was new being out all on her own and she wanted to relish it. Her little feet bounced over plants that she knew she should not touch and she traveled further and further from the house. She flopped down in a patch of strawberries and started to eat. Daeghun had taught her what was good and what was not and strawberries were one of her favorites on the good side.

Night started to cover the landscape but no fear touched her eyes. She continued to eat, her red ponytail bobbing as she moved.

Suddenly, she felt a nip at her back and she turned. There was a dire wolf cub trying to get her attention, "Puppy!" She called, knowing full well what it was but knowing also that a cub was called a puppy.

The cub sniffed her little feet and yipped. She smiled and yipped back, happy to have found a friend. They crawled towards each other and touched noses. Then, like any regular child, the two began to play. Rolling around and tussling into the deeper grasses just before the wood.

They were having a great time when a low rumble sounded over them. There stood the mother, protectiveness showing as she snarled through her fangs, but before she could do anything, the cub got between it's mother and the hobbit. It yapped at her and she sniffed both youngsters. Avera made a yap as well, making the female dire wolf cock her head and stare.

"Kala? You are Kala?" Avera smiled and the she-wolf gave her a lopsided grin. The child stood and fumbled up to her to nuzzle into the front of her mane. She then started singing a song that just popped into her head for the wolf.

nnn

The sword whipped past her abdomen with mind shattering speed. She backed up and shot an arrow into his hip. He didn't even slow as he was in a berserker rage. All she could do for now was keep her distance. She had already done a lot of damage to him but that rage kept him going. She had not gotten away without some superficial wounds but everyone knew that if Lorne got a good shot in then there would be trouble for the little woman.

Her luck was her size. With someone that large it was difficult to get a good shot at little person who was as fast and nimble as she was.

The crowd was going wild. Her friends hardly made a sound but everyone else in the stands were making up for any quiet sections. But none of that mattered as a hand smashed down right in front of her. She switched from bow to mace and bashed it into the meatiest part of his arm. As she traveled past him she smelled something. It was something she knew and as she passed she heard a bark in her mind's ear.

nnn

It had been three weeks since he had left West Harbor to work on the trap lines but Daeghun felt that the trip had been worth it. He walked into the house as calm as normal and stood in front of the nanny and her boyfriend, half naked in his living room. He assessed them silently, "Where is Avera?" There was no emotion in that voice and it frightened Talash but her boyfriend got up and turned on the elf.

"Who do you think you …" He backed up from the arrow which was now pointed at his nose. How this man was so quick was beyond him, "You are not from West Harbor or you would know that you are in my home, but for the moment, you are not my concern. My concern is my child. Where is she?"

Talash gulped and pointed, "I believe she went to her bedroom."

"Believe?" He said with only a slight change in tone, "Avera?" No answer. He checked her room but the girl was not there. Daeghun waved his bow towards the door, "Get out and never come back here." The boy ran, "How long has this been going on?"

"Since you left."

"Go tell your parents that you are no longer a nanny. You also will not be paid for services that were not rendered. Once I find Avera I will ask her about your service and you will be paid or not paid upon what she tells me." The look on his face said, "And I better find her in good shape."

He let the girl run then followed at a sedate pace. It took only moments for him to find his daughter's trail. He could smell dire wolves in the area. When had they arrived? He knew Avera was not dead or badly hurt. He didn't feel anything wrong and his "fatherly instincts" tended to be correct.

Soon he came up to Kala. She stood almost as tall as him and looked formidable. He could smell his daughter close by but this she-wolf was between him and her.

Kala growled and Daeghun sighted on her face. As she snarled, he pulled back his arrow then noticed Avera peeking out from under the animal. He glanced at his child then back into the wolf's eyes.

"You are protecting my child." He watched warily as her hackles went down, "Thank you but she needs to come home for supper."

Avera stood and cuddled into Kala's fur, "Da, don't make her go."

Daeghun picked her up and rubbed the dire wolf's head, speaking to both his daughter and the wolf, "No. I accept this friendship. You are a much better nanny than any I have provided. You can stay friends, as long as you allow her to cook her meat." Kala barked as Daeghun left with Avera waving over his shoulder.

nnn

A bark in her mind made it so she twisted out of the way of the sword, once again. A low growl echoed in her head. Words almost hung in her ears and it pushed her to think of a scroll. Dammit! She had been so disturbed the last couple of days that she had forgotten all about that one. Was it still there? She tugged on her belt for the scroll but it fell to the ground and Lorne chased her away from it. Her breath was coming out in pants and she was not faring well. He just wouldn't fall, damn the berserker in him!

He came around in a wide swing and finally got a good hit. Avera flew through the air and made her landing into a roll. She gasped in pain but didn't look at the gash in her gut. She knew it was bad as she had even heard at least two ribs break. The potion Casavir gave her was in her hands in moments and she drank it fast. Lorne was charging directly at her again.

Now her friends were yelling as well. It would be only moments until he crashed with her into the wall but she was still leaning over, in a crouch, gasping for air. As Lorne got to her she sprinted under his legs and bolted. He ran into the wall and collapsed, giving her the time she needed to grab her scroll.

She stood, all anger and grace, and read the words she needed to end all this.

nnn

By the time she was fifteen she had learned quite a few things from Kala and the teachers, mostly elven, that Daeghun had talked into training her. Her father had begun taking her on hunting trips after she met Kala. When at home, she spent time with the she-wolf and played with her cubs when she had any. This year was her last litter. The she-wolf was too old to care after more cubs but she was still spry.

It was time for the last of Kala's brood to leave. Avera cuddled with the female cub and then the male. She gave them one last ear rub each, "Bye puppies. You be careful, Runt." She winked at the boy and both cubs left the den.

The two watched them leave then walked towards the house. She saw Lorne and his friends before they saw her so Kala took a hasty retreat into a wooded section of the farmland. She kept an eye on Lorne as the group detoured to follow her to the house.

"What did you want?" She asked.

"Just trying to see what the midget was up to today." Lorne's friend replied while the three moved around her.

"You know you are not allowed on this property. Daeghun told you to stay away last week when you damaged our crops."

"I don't see your father anywhere. What are you going to do about it?"

One of the larger of the boys darted towards her but she skidded out of his way. She snarled. They had never gone after her before. It was always a joke to them that she was around, but they never seemed to consider her a target as they had bigger fish to fry.

"Your father thinks he is so great." Lorne taunted but got no response, "All mighty compared to us humans. Maybe he needs to be taught that we are just as good as he is."

She backed up, readying her bow when she heard a loud snarl and then there was Kala. She slammed into the boy who had gone after Avera and ripped his throat out. Lorne pulled out his sword and Avera grabbed his closest hand, digging her teeth into the flesh. He screamed and slammed her head into the ground. The last thing she saw was his blade coming down on Kala.

Avera was out for a short time but it was too long by far. She got up to see Lorne and his friend kicking around what was a bloody mess of dire wolf. Kala's skin was flung over Lorne's back.

She pulled her bow and Lorne was in her sights when Georg grabbed her hand and the arrow went astray, only hitting his leg.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"They attacked me and when my friend tried to defend me he …" She screamed and sighted Lorne again but Georg held her back.

"Get off this land boys and don't come back or I will haul you into custody."

Lorne shrugged and laughed at Avera's tears. It was only days later that he left for Neverwinter.

nnn

He dropped to his knees and watched her as she walked towards him. She stopped and sat on her heels to smile at his almost dead face, "I wish I could skin you but I think that might it might get the crowd a bit upset." She grinned, put her hand up and removed Kala's skin from his shoulders as he fell over dead.

Yes, the finger of death scroll worked. She sniffed the fur and thanked Kala for reminding her.

They rowdily returned to the Sunken Flagon, everyone in the mood for some good ale.

Khelgar carried Avera on his shoulder as it was his turn and no one wanted her to hit her head on the door on the way in. He dropped her off at their table and yelled, "Get your butt in gear, Duncan! Your niece wants some brew!"

She laughed as the dwarf trotted over to her uncle and started a raucous squabble about whether they should have ale or wine. There were more people coming into the Flagon by the moment to congratulate her on beating Lorne.

Then Bishop let Karnwyr in. She watched as the wolf stopped and turned his head towards her. His forepaw was midair as he sniffed the air and saw her. The wolf turned from Bishop to run up to Avera. Next thing all anyone could see of her was her legs, the rest of her was caught up in his fur. To everyone's surprise, they dropped to the floor together, whimpering.

Casavir leaned down to put his hand on Avera's shoulder but Karnwyr lifted his muzzle and snarled. The wolf even glared at Bishop who was walking towards them, then he started licking her head and the fur of the pelt Avera had taken from Lorne.

Bishop shrugged, "All I can get from that is, 'It's her.'"

"Oh." Elanee looked startled, "That pelt."

"It's Kala." Avera sputtered from under all the fur, "Karnwyr was the last of her litter about ten years ago. Right Runt?"

He barked and licked her face.

Bishop looked down at the hobbit eyes peeking out from the fur and his dire wolf with chagrin on his face, "And how do you know that?"

"Because she fostered me while my father was out on trap lines or hunting."

Her group stood there like stone. Shock was a light term to use for the looks on their faces and it pulled both Avera and Karnwyr out of their mourning.

"Well, I always said ye were wild, lass, and that you had weird taste in friends but now ye just blow it all out of proportion!"

"But how did Lorne get her pelt?" Grobnar bounced over to the wolf and examined his eyes with great interest, "I mean, that Luskan couldn't have gotten so far into Neverwinter."

"He's from West Harbor but it isn't important right now. I will be burying her pelt with Karnwyr later but for now I just want to enjoy being alive!" She crawled out from under the dire wolf but sent Sal for some meat and ale for him. Bishop glared but she could care less.

"Play some fun music, Grobnar!"

"With pleasure, Avera!"

She pulled Casavir onto the dance floor and proceeded to make all of her friends and anyone else in the flagon join in on the festivities. She was happy. She had won not only her own life but the ability to finally be able to put a friend's spirit to rest.


End file.
